Canna plant named ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Canna  plant named ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ that is characterized by dwarf habit, olive green to purple brown foliage, and deep yellow flowers which are open faced and attractively arranged within the inflorescence. In combination these traits set ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ apart from all other varieties of  Canna  known to the inventor.

Genus: CANNA.

Species: ×generalis.

Denomination: ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application is co-pending with the application of same filing date for the inventor's variety of Canna plant named ‘ORANGE CHOCOLATE’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/803,912).

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Canna, also known as Canna Lily or Indian Shot, which is grown as an ornamental annual or perennial, according to climate zone, for use in planted containers and in the garden and landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Canna×generalis, and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’.

The inventor has carried out a Canna breeding program at the inventor's nursery in Kibbutz Saad, Israel since 2005. The breeding program is aimed at producing new varieties of Canna with useful commercial characteristics: primarily new varieties which exhibit a dwarf habit with colorful foliage and bearing well-presented flowers. ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ arose and was selected by the inventor in 2006 as an open pollinated seedling whose male parent is unknown and whose female parent is Canna ‘Wine and Roses’ (unpatented). The inventor used this same parentage to develop the inventor's co-pending variety ‘ORANGE CHOCOLATE’. Both co-pending varieties exhibit almost identical habit and foliage color. However, the flowers of ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ are deep yellow in color, whereas the flowers of ‘ORANGE CHOCOLATE’ are bright orange in color.

‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ was first asexually reproduced by the inventor in Kibbutz Saad, Israel in 2006. Asexual propagation was accomplished by division of the rhizome. Since that time, under careful observation, the distinguishing characteristics of ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ have been determined stable and uniform, and to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

The variety of Canna which is considered by the inventor to most closely resemble ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ is the parent plant, Canna ‘Wine and Roses’. ‘Wine and Roses’ and ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ both exhibit dark olive green to purple brown colored foliage. However, the height of ‘Wine and Roses’ is approximately 75 cm-90 cm, whereas the height of ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ is 60 cm-80 cm. In addition, the flowers of ‘Wine and Roses’ are rose pink in color whereas the flowers of ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ are deep yellow in color.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The distinguishing characteristics of ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ are as follows: In combination these traits set ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ apart from all other existing varieties of CANNA known to the inventor. ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions.

-   -   1. ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ grows and remains short in height.     -   2. After one year of growth, a plant of ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’         achieves a height of approximately 60 cm-80 cm and a spread of         40 cm-60 cm.     -   3. ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ bears deep yellow flowers.     -   4. The flowers of ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ are open faced and         attractively arranged within the inflorescence.     -   5. The foliage of ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ is dark olive green to         purple brown in color.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color drawing illustrates the overall appearance of ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ showing the color of the inflorescence and the foliage as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The drawing labeled as FIG. 1 depicts a one year old plant of ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ growing in a greenhouse in Kibbutz Saad, Israel.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

In the following botanical description, all color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

The plants used for this botanical description were grown from rhizomes which the inventor shipped from his nursery at Kibbutz Saad, Israel to Santa Barbara, Calif. The rhizomes were planted in the ground in August 2010. The observed plants were twelve months of age.

-   Botanical classification: CANNA×generalis ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’. -   Parentage: Open pollination between unknown male parent and Canna     ‘Wine and Roses’ as female parent. -   Propagation: By division of field-grown rhizomes or by division of     tissue cultured plants. -   Cultural suggestions: In common with Cannas generally, ‘CHOCOLATE     SUNRISE’ is evergreen in warm climates, but will die back as winter     approaches in cool climates. Rhizomes may be mulched to protect from     light frost but should be lifted and stored if the ground is liable     to freeze below the surface. -   Hardiness: ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ is evergreen in USDA Zone 8. -   Heat tolerance: Plants grow and flower rapidly in sunny positions     but benefit from light shade from extreme heat. -   Pest and disease resistance or susceptibility: ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’     has not been found to be more or less resistant or susceptible to     the pests and diseases which affect the genus and its cultivars. -   Plant form: Upright, very compact with very short multiple stems. -   Rhizome description: Thick, fibrous, 3 cm-5 cm in diameter, with     papery scales which are light brown 166C in color when first     forming, becoming dark brown 200B as they age and peel away from the     rhizome whose revealed surface is smooth, cream 11D. -   Plant height: 60 cm-80 cm. -   Plant spread: 40 cm-60 cm. -   Branching: Average 5 basal shoots in first growing season. -   Stem (each basal shoot):     -   -   Length.—24 cm.         -   Diameter.—1.2 cm.         -   Internode length.—12 cm (measured between soil level and             first node). Peduncle begins at first above-ground node.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.         -   Color.—195A. -   Foliage: Leaves simple, entire, sessile.     -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf length.—21 cm-22 cm.         -   Leaf diameter.—12 cm-14 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.         -   Luster.—Upper surface dull, lower surface semi-glossy.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color (upper).—N187A.         -   Venation color (lower).—187B.         -   Leaf color (upper surface).—200B.         -   Leaf color (lower surface).—147A. -   Petioles:     -   -   Arrangement.—Sheathing.         -   Length.—13 cm-17 cm.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.         -   Color, upper surface.—147B.         -   Color, lower surface.—152B. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Panicle height.—18 cm, diameter 13 cm-15 cm.         -   Inflorescence number per lateral branch.—One.         -   Typical and observed number of flowers per inflorescence.—17             on average.         -   Typical and observed number of inflorescences per plant.—5.         -   Form.—Terminal raceme with single flower opening first             followed by the formation and flowering of secondary             racemes. The flowers in secondary are borne in pairs on             short pedicels. Each flower or pair of flowers is subtended             by a single bract.         -   Natural flowering season.—Summer months. -   Flower:     -   -   Flower longevity on the plant.—2 to 3 days.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Flower height.—5.5 cm.         -   Flower width.—8 cm.         -   Buds.—Length: 4.5 cm. Diameter: 0.8 cm. Shape: Oblong.             Color: 23A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: 3 each, arranged in a whorl, fused at             base. Length: 3.3 cm-3.6 cm. Diameter: 1.2 cm-1.6 cm. Shape:             Long, elliptical. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture:             Glabrous. Color (both surfaces): Center 24B, outer and             margin 41B.         -   Sepals.—Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Arrangement: 3 each,             arranged in a whorl, fused at base. Length: 1.0 cm.             Diameter: 0.7 cm. Apex: Acute. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 146D at             base, becoming 35C then 46B at margin.         -   Peduncle.—Length: 12 cm. Diameter: 1.0 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: 200D.         -   Pedicels.—Length: 0.5 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm. Texture:             Glabrous. Color: 147C.         -   Bracts.—Bract number: One, sheathing the base of the             outer-facing sepals. Bract shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded.             Margin: Entire. Base: Truncate. Arrangement: Subtending each             flower. Length: 1.1 cm. Width: 1.2 cm. Texture: Glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Translucent, tinged pink             63C.         -   Staminodes.—Modified stamens, comprising the showy part of             the flower, (sterile petaloids). Quantity: 3 (excluding             labellum). Staminode apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire,             undulating. Base: Hastate. Length: 5.0 cm-6.5 cm. Width: 3.5             cm-5.0 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Color (both surfaces): 17A-17B             except basal band (1.0 cm-1.5 cm) 13C.         -   Labellum (lower staminode).—Labellum number: 1. Shape:             Spatulate. Length: 6.5 cm. Width: 4.5 cm. Apex: Emarginate;             notch up to 5 mm in depth. Margin: Entire. Base: Sheathing,             truncate. Labellum surface color (both surfaces): 17A-17B             with darker orange-red N30B longitudinal streaks more             closely packed towards base. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Petaloid stamen.—One. Shape: Falcate. Dimensions: Length 8             cm, width 1.2 cm. Apex: Truncate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Texture (both surfaces): Smooth. Color (both             surfaces): 23A.         -   Anther (fused to inward curved margin).—Shape: Rectangular.             Dimensions: Length 10 mm, width 2 mm. Color: (at             dehiscence): 197D with two dark ribs 199C.         -   Pollen.—Amount: Moderate. Color: 4C.         -   Petaloid style.—One. Shape: Elongated spatulate.         -   Dimensions.—Length: 5 cm; width; 2 mm at base, widening to 5             mm at widest point then 3 mm at apex. Apex: Truncate. Base:             Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture (both surfaces): Smooth,             shiny. Color (both surfaces): 16A.         -   Stigma.—One, located at tip of petaloid style, flattened,             round, diameter 2-5 mm. Color: Translucent 11C.         -   Ovary.—Color N144D.         -   Seed.—Fertilization has not occurred in any of the observed             plants. Ovules remain undeveloped. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Canna plant named ‘CHOCOLATE SUNRISE’ as described and illustrated herein. 